Nelson Did
BY JOHN HILLS /T is just 150 years since Nelson conquered and died at Trafalgar, and there are still hundreds of Englishmen ready to echo Browning's 'Give me of Nelson only a touch.' So here is one from Malta. Not that Nelson ever had much use for Malta as a headquarters, for he preferred to be at sea, and his name is not intimately connected with the island. It is ironical that in 1943 HMS Nelson lay in Valletta harbour when the armistice with Italy was signed on board. But none the less Malta can boast amongst its treasures three of the Admiral's letters, one of which contains the true Nelson touch. These letters were unearthed a year or two ago by a naval officer hunting through stacks of old records in his department. Though listed by Nicolas, they seem to have escaped the notice of those devoted historians Robert Southey and Carola Oman. All are in the neat hand of a secretary, but the signature NELSON & BRONTE stands out firm and bold and square. They were written at sea during the winter of 1803-4, the first winter of those 'two years wanting ten days' when Nelson never once had his 'foot out of the Victory.'
One of the letters deals purely with routine business, but each of the other two has an interest of its own. The first, dated December 14, 1803, on board HM Ship Victory in the Gulph [sic] of Palma, Sardinia, gives the Admiral all his titles and describes him as `C-in-C of His Majesty's Ships and Ves• sels employed or to be employed in the Mediterranean Station.' It tells Dr. Snipe. Physician to the Fleet, that instructions have come from the Commissioners of the Sick and Wounded Board (called later in the same letter the Sick and Hurt Board) stating that the Admiralty has given direction for 'surveys to be held twice a year . . . on the remains of Medicines and Dispensary stores at the Royal Hospitals at Haslar and Plymouth' and requesting that similar surveys should be held at Malta Naval Hospital. Dr. Snipe is to carry out this survey with any two or three surgeons who happen to be at Malta on the right days. We have heard much in the last twelve months about the suffer- ings of our sick and wounded in the Crimea, just one hundred years ago. It is good to know that more than fifty years earlier the Admiralty was already maintaining an efficient hospital service at Malta, within a few months of the island's coming under British rule. No doubt Nelson's former captain; Alex- ander Ball, had had something to do with it.
The other letter deserves to be quoted in full. It was written from Victory, .off Madalena Islands, on February 10. 1804, to Mr. John Gray, Surgeon of HM Naval Hospital, Malta : Dear Sir, I have received from Rear Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton your letter of 21st Jan., with the one from Mr. Higgins, con- tractor for victualling the naval hospital therein mentioned, on the subject of supplying milk to the patients in their Tea morning and evening, and as it appears that article has not been provided for in the contract entered into by the said Mr. Higgins, I am to desire you to request him to supply the necessary quantity of milk for the purpose above mentioned, and so soon'as Dr. Snipe, Physician to the Fleet, has returned from Gibraltar I shall direct him to take the same into con- sideration, and make such allowance for it as shall by him and the said contractor be deemed equal to the additional expense incurred by such supply. I am, Sir, Your most obedient humble servant NELSON & BRONTE.
It is easy to imagine the Sick and. Hurt seamen asking for milk in their tea. It is even easier to hear Authority's voice replying, 'Not in the contract : we have no authority.' Was there some bolder seaman, or one more delirious than the other sick and hurt, who cried, 'You go and ask Nelson. He'll get us milk to our tea'? Anyhow, Nelson did!'
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